The usual sequence
Each stage depends on the one before it.
- First
- Confirm whether a skunk is using the space, and whether there might be young. Late spring and early summer are when mothers are most likely to be denning with kits.
- Next
- A licensed wildlife operator removes the animal or installs a one-way door so it can leave but not return. With young present, timing may need to wait until they can follow the mother out.
- After a few quiet nights
- The opening is checked for activity, often with loose material or a dusting of flour to show tracks.
- Once empty
- Odor treatment of the spray zone and any affected indoor areas.
- Right after treatment
- Permanent closure of the opening, so a new animal does not move into a freshly cleaned space.
- Over the next season
- Recheck the perimeter after storms and in late winter, when skunks are roaming.
Why older houses have so many openings
Houses built a century ago around Washington Park have had time to develop gaps. Lattice skirting around porches rots or gets pushed aside. Foundation vents lose their screens. Porch steps settle and leave a gap at the base. Rear additions, sunrooms and enclosed back porches were often built on shallower foundations than the main house, sometimes with only a small crawlspace and a vent or two.
Skunks do not chew through materials the way some animals do, but they dig well. Anywhere there is soft soil next to a gap, a skunk can widen it. That is why the most effective closures extend below ground.
Common closure points to inspect
- Porch skirting and lattice, especially at corners and next to steps
- Foundation and crawlspace vents, which should have intact heavy screens
- Gaps under concrete stoops and back steps
- The perimeter of low decks
- Under sheds and detached garages, especially at the slab edge
- Window wells without covers
- Utility penetrations where pipes and lines enter at or near grade
Questions for whoever does the closing work
- How will you confirm the space is empty before closing it?
- How deep will the wire or barrier go below grade?
- Will the closure match or preserve the look of an original porch?
- Will the crawlspace or porch base still be accessible for future repairs, for example through a removable panel?
- Should anything be checked with the city first if the house is in a designated historic district?
Common questions
What material is usually used?
Galvanized hardware cloth is a common choice, buried several inches deep and bent outward into an L so a digging skunk hits wire. On historic porches, owners often prefer solid skirting that matches the house.
General information for Washington Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.